Arthur Phillips

What if one of Shakespeare's plays has yet to be discovered? This is a point of contention in Arthur Phillips's latest novel, The Tragedy of Arthur (Random House). In it the protagonist, a young writer also named Arthur Phillips, learns that his father is in possession of a long-lost five-act play on King Arthur by the Bard. Or is he? His mostly absent father is as notorious for his cons as he is for his charm, which gives one pause as to its authenticity. Regardless, upon his passing Arthur and his twin sister set out to complete their father's mission of publishing Shakespeare's play, be it real or not. Arthur is a tale that is an unusual mix of memoir and fiction, and is rife with humor and complex family dynamics. The Minnesota-born author, currently residing in New York, will be on hand to discuss his works both past and present, which include The Song Is You and The Egyptologist.
Tue., April 26, 7 p.m., 2011